Tools and Equipment

Find the right tool for any jewelry making project. Rio Grande offers the best
selection of jewelry bench tools and equipment available, backed by our
world-class technical support. Reach for Rio Grande whether you need beading tools,
a new jewelry work bench, or any other jewelry tools and supplies.
We even offer jewelry making equipment for casting and other advanced techniques.
We carry trusted jewelry bench tool brands like Swanstrom,
Beadalon, Foredom Flex Shaft, Bonny Doon, Fretz Hammers and more.
Find the best-quality jewelry making tools and supplies at the best prices.

Metal Clay, Glass, Enamels and Resins

Versatile and inspiring silver precious metal clay has been available from Rio Grande
for more than a decade‹and today the passion for metal clay continues to evolve with
colorful BRONZclay and COPPRclay. Make Rio your first source for innovative metal clay tools,
products, and ideas‹such as fire-in-place Embeddables findings‹and any other metal clay supplies
you need.

At Rio Grande, you¹ll find the media you need to create unique,
colorful pieces and expand your jewelry-making repertoire. Stock up on
supplies for enameling, the art that welcomes the newcomer, yet challenges
the expert. Add a splash of color with Colores, the fashionable epoxy resin
that brightens up your work.

Swiss Adjustable 4" Saw Frame

This fine-quality Swiss saw frame is adjustable to deliver the appropriate tension and frame depth for your work. Throat depth is 102mm (4"). The no-glare frame is spring steel--lighter than most steel frames on the market but just as strong. • Patented blade-lock system makes blade insertion easy and eliminates wobble.• Ergonomic, non-slip rubber grips reduce fatigue.• Use set-screws on either the right or left side for easy blade insertion.

How To

How To Saw More Successfully

Know how to go about your sawing tasks so as to ensure yourself the best possible results. From preparing your workpiece to choosing a blade to preparing the saw, these tips help make your sawing tasks efficient and effective, time after time.

Step 1
Test the tension of the saw blade before sawing; a loose blade will not cut properly and will tend to break easily.

Step 2
Choose a saw blade fine enough to have at least two teeth within the thickness of the metal you are cutting.

Step 3
Choose a saw blade according to the intricacy of the cut line; use a finer blade when cutting curves than when cutting straight lines.

Step 4
Keep the saw frame in as vertical a position as possible when sawing, and use long, even strokes.

Step 5
Hold the frame at a right angle to your body and bring your work to the saw. If you’re sawing a circle, turn the material to the saw instead of trying to maneuver the saw around the material.

Step 6
The motion should come from the elbow (not the wrist) for efficiency and longer life of your saw blades. The wrist should be locked, but the hand grip should be light; no white knuckles.

Choose the Right Bur-Life

Often copied but never equaled in either performance or benefits, Bur-Life® is the best available lubricant for jewelry applications. Like a coating of microscopic ball bearings, Bur-Life provides a smoother cut with far less friction and more control.Other lubricants are repelled by heat and draw away from the cutting edge. Bur-Life is attracted by heat, so the friction and resulting heat produced by saw blades, burs, files and other cutting tools actually draws Bur-Life to the point of contact, resulting in a better finish.With Bur-Life, your tools work faster, stay sharper and last longer.Choose from three formulas:• Original: Stick or bench-mount cartridges• Paste: Specially formulated for tasks where surfaces require a complete coating• Liquid: Penetrates to lubricate; for complex or porous surfaces that may be hard to coat.